U.S.-backed Ebola quarantine facility for Americans operational in Kenya despite court order

Kenyan authorities have opened a U.S.-backed Ebola quarantine centre at Laikipia Air Base near Nanyuki to house seven American aid workers evacuated from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The workers, who show no symptoms, will remain in large military tents for a 21‑day period, with food supplied by the U.S. military. The United States has pledged $13.5 million for Kenya’s Ebola preparedness and imposed travel restrictions requiring exposed individuals to quarantine outside the U.S.

The centre’s operation has sparked legal challenges and protests. A Kenyan court ordered a halt to the facility, citing concerns that it could overwhelm the country’s fragile health system. Activists and the Katiba Institute have condemned the quarantine as an “outrage,” and demonstrations have turned violent, resulting in multiple deaths. President William Ruto has defended the partnership with the United States, noting plans for additional preparedness sites across Kenya.